


All Is Bright

by coffeejunkii



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Clint Barton Feels, Clint bakes, Cuddling & Snuggling, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 03:06:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2835719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeejunkii/pseuds/coffeejunkii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Phil comes across Clint napping in his office on Christmas Eve, all his carefully laid plans fly out the window.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Is Bright

**Author's Note:**

> Have a little bit of Christmas cheer. <3

“I'll be right there,” Phil called out to Melinda and Jasper, who were headed to the elevators. “Just need to drop off these files.”

“Remember that cabs stop for Jasper the moment he sticks out his hand,” Melinda replied, her voice easily carrying along the hallway.

“Yeah, and I'm not paying five bucks for the cab idling while we wait for you,” Jasper added. “Don't you dare to check your email!”

Phil waved them off while punching in the security code to his office. He had planned to check his email, but he could do that during the cab ride as well. He heard the elevator ding as he opened the door.

He did not expect to see Clint asleep on his couch. Cradling a cookie tin. And with one leg dangling over the edge. Phil didn't get to enjoy the sight for too long because Clint startled and was awake in a second. When he recognized Phil, he scrubbed a hand over his face and sat up.

“Sorry. Was waiting for you,” Clint mumbled. “Guess I was more tired than I thought.”

Phil closed the door behind him. “Meeting ran late.” He walked over to his desk and dropped the stack of folders.

“I, um.” Clint stood, holding the tin out to Phil. “I made these. For you. Well, not just for you, I guess, but there were way more than I expected, and I thought you'd like some. Cookies, that is.”

“Thank you.” Phil took off the lid. There were sugar cookies decorated in purple icing. “I didn't know you baked.”

Clint stuffed his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “I do, sometimes. Nothing fancy. It—it helps me to get my mind off things.”

Phil nodded. The last mission Clint had been on led to the loss of three agents. It wasn't Clint's fault that the mission had turned into a clusterfuck, but he also hadn't been able to do anything to save his team members. “I appreciate the cookies. It's been a while since I had anything homemade.”

Clint smiled and ducked his head. “I'll be off, then. I know you got plans.”

“Do you have plans for tomorrow?” Phil hoped the question wasn't too much of an invasion of privacy.

“Well, Natasha and I were going to spend Christmas together. Order Chinese food and watch movies. But she got called out for the Karachi op last minute.”

“Right. I heard that.” It made Phil sad to think that Clint would spend Christmas by himself even though Phil's plans involved an empty apartment as well. “Would you like to watch a movie?” He had not meant to say that. 

“What? Now?”

“Yes.” As the idea took hold in Phil's mind, he felt less and less excited by the prospect of squeezing into a crowded bar on Christmas Eve; he'd much prefer hanging out with Clint. He set the cookies down on his desk. “To be honest, I'm rather tired, and being jostled by drunk strangers doesn't sound appealing.”

“I can't ask you to skip out on your plans.” Clint was studying the tips of his boots. “'m fine. Christmas isn't a big deal anyway.”

Phil was about to protest when his phone chimed three times in a row. He meant to ignore the texts, but his hand was already in his pocket. When texts frequently announced life-or-death situations, your reflexes were finely honed. All messages were from Melinda: one informing him that he'd need to find his way to the bar by himself, followed by an address, and finally a threat to show up soon or else.

Clint brushed past Phil. “See you Monday. Say hi to Mel from me.”

Phil grasped his arm. “Wait.” He shoved his phone back into his pocket. Clint turned to look at him, standing rather close. “I'd really like it if you stayed. I'd like to watch that movie with you. I'll even throw in two nearly-expired packets of instant hot chocolate.” He loosened his grip on Clint's arm, but he didn't let go.

“Well, if there's stale cocoa, I couldn't possibly refuse. Does it come with these tiny marshmallows?”

“I believe it does.”

Clint bit his lip to hide his smile. “Okay.”

“Okay,” Phil repeated. He walked around his desk to retrieve the packets of hot chocolate. “Would you make these? Believe it or not, I've burned one of these before.”

“I've seen the damage you can do to a can of soup. So, yes, I should be in charge of our drinks.”

Phil watched Clint head to the break room, then took off his jacket and tie. He pulled up Netflix on his laptop to look through the Christmas movies in his queue. Watching bits of holiday movies before bed was often the only chance he had to celebrate the season. Well, that and the small plastic tree he had in his apartment. He'd prefer a live one, but his job was too unpredictable.

As Phil waited, he sent an apology to Melinda and Jasper. He weighed whether or not to mention that he'd spend his evening with Clint. In the end, he decided that they'd be more forgiving if they knew Clint was involved, even if that meant having to endure some pointed questions later.

Clint returned with two mugs. “This stuff smells pretty decent, actually.”

Phil sat down on the couch. “Glad to hear it.” He pulled the visitor's chair closer with his foot and slid his laptop onto it. He took a mug from Clint. “I have a few holiday movies pulled up, but we can also watch something else.”

Clint retrieved the cookie tin and settled next to Phil. “Anything aside from _It's a Wonderful Life_ is good.”

“How about _White Christmas_? It's cheesy in that old Hollywood kind of way, but I don't mind that around the holidays.”

“I could do with some sap in my life.” It came out subdued; probably moreso than Clint intended.

“Then let's watch that.” Phil started the movie and leaned back. 

The cookies were balanced between their thighs, which meant that they were sitting fairly close. Not that Phil minded. It was a nice excuse to feel the warmth of Clint's body close to him. The cocoa wasn't half bad and the cookies were excellent—sweet and buttery. 

As the movie went on, Clint slid lower on the couch. When his head came to rest against Phil's shoulder, he immediately straightened. “Sorry.”

“That's alright. You must still be tired.” Clint had only returned three days ago, and Phil knew that there had been more follow-up meetings than usual. He'd barely had a chance to talk to Clint about all that had happened.

“Yeah.” The word turned into a sigh.

“We don't have to finish the movie if you'd rather go to sleep.” 

“No, I want to finish watching,” Clint said quickly. “But I might nod off.”

“Wouldn't be the first time, right?” Clint often napped leaning into Phil's side on the way back from overseas ops.

“Right, yeah.” Clint slouched down.

Phil returned his focus to the movie. Or at least he tried to. Clint kept shifting against him trying to get comfortable. “Okay, wait, let's try this.” If he was going to snuggle with Clint—and really, Phil wasn't deluding himself trying to call this anything else—then they were going to do it right. He turned just enough that Clint could lean against his chest. He slid an arm around Clint's waist. “Good?” 

Clint let out an approving noise, but held himself still, muscles tense. Uncertainty washed over Phil. Had he misinterpreted the situation? He had been fairly certain for a while now that there were mutual feelings at play between them, but perhaps he'd been wrong. 

“Phil,” Clint began quietly. “What is this?”

Phil squeezed Clint's side. “You mean this?”

“Yeah.”

Phil turned his head until his cheek brushed against Clint's hair. He took it as a good sign that Clint didn't pull away. “I believe it's called making a move.”

“You're making a move on me?”

“Trying to.” Phil's heart was attempting to win some sort of race.

Clint turned until he was facing Phil. “Really?” There was a guarded look in his eyes.

Phil made a conscious effort to let Clint see all the feelings swirling inside of him. The nervousness. And determination. Most importantly, how fond he was of Clint. “Really.”

“Why now?”

Emboldened by Clint's implicit approval, Phil brought his other arm around Clint. “Seemed like the right time.”

A hint of a smile crossed Clint's face. “God, you're infuriating sometimes,” he muttered and then leaned forward to press his lips against Phil's.

Phil tensed, not having expected the kiss, but only for a moment. He went with Clint's lead, moving into a series of soft slow kisses. It didn't surprise Phil at all that Clint was good at this. Moreover, Clint's earlier hesitation was gone. While he kept everything light, Clint very much kissed with purpose. His hand came up to frame Phil's jaw, thumb slow dragging back and forth.

They didn't pull very far apart after. “What now?” Clint whispered.

“Come home with me.”

Clint tensed.

“Not for—just to sleep. And I'd like it if you stayed for breakfast. Or longer than breakfast if that's okay with you.”

“You want me to spend to spend Christmas with you?”

Phil nodded, uncertain he'd manage to get a word out. 

Clint pressed himself tightly to Phil, wrapping both arms around him. Phil returned the embrace with equal force. They held each other for a while. Clint's fingertips stroked lightly over Phil's nape, a soothing motion that made Phil feel cared for in a way he hadn't experienced in a long time.

“If I had known making cookies for you would lead to this, I'd have done that much earlier.”

“They were good cookies.”

Clint snorted and let go of Phil. “Don't expect baked goods all the time.”

Phil took Clint's hand. “Your company's more than enough.”

“You see me all the time.”

“True.” Phil paused. He wasn't sure how much to reveal of what he felt for Clint. So far, everything seemed mutual, but he didn't know how new these feelings were for Clint. Or if it had been years, like it had for Phil. “Still.”

There was understanding in Clint's eyes. “Time's precious. You never know what might happen.”

Phil squeezed Clint's hand. They'd both lived through too many reminders of that. “Wanna head out?”

“Yeah.”

Clint closed the cookie tin while Phil packed up his laptop. “Can we stop by my quarters so I can grab my toothbrush?”

“Sure.” Phil slid his suit jacked back on and stuffed his tie into a pocket. 

Clint waited as Phil checked over his office one last time and locked up. Once they were out in the hallway, Clint brushed his hand against Phil's. “Is this okay?” He asked while tangling their fingers together.

SHIELD was deserted. Besides, Phil wasn't planning on hiding this. “More than.”

Clint smiled at Phil and pulled him toward the elevator. When Clint kissed him as they waited, Phil felt certain that this would be one of his happiest Christmas celebrations.


End file.
